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19th Apr 2025

Donncha O’Callaghan shares story of genius Anthony Foley sledging comeback

Colman Stanley

A brilliant quip from the Munster legend.

On the Offload podcast, with former Ireland players Tommy Bowe and Donncha O’Callaghan, the topic of Rieko Ioane’s and Johnny Sexton’s spat was brought up.

With the All Black joining Leinster at the end of the year, there has been much talk about his insulting words to Leinster legend Sexton, after New Zealand knocked Ireland out of the 2023 World Cup, which the latter wrote about in his autobiography.

Both Bowe and O’Callaghan believe that there was nothing much in the confrontation, and explained that this type of ribbing and sledging goes part and parcel with the game.

Ex-Munster lock O’Callghan then told a brilliant story about the late Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley, and a comeback he had while playing for Munster against Scottish side Border Reivers.

He said: “I’ll go back to a great one, Anthony Foley, Axel god rest him, had a brilliant one.

“When we played the Borders one time, a fellah called him an insulting name, and Axel just turned around and in his drollest voice as only he could do, just a gave a ‘have you no mirrors in your house.’

“And honestly, what was brilliant about it was all the Borders lads started laughing, they loved it.”

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